Brainless
by rawrchelle
Summary: Itachi/Sakura. Non-massacre. She couldn’t count the number of times she’d been told she was stupid. But when Itachi calls her stupid, and so close to Christmas, it’s almost unbearable.


**Title:** Brainless  
**Pairing:** ItachiSakura  
**Genre(s):** Romance/Humor  
**Summary:** She couldn't count the number of times she'd been told she was stupid. But when Itachi calls her stupid, and so close to Christmas, it's almost unbearable.  
**Theme:** 21. "BAKA!" (stupid, idiot)  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count: **6183  
**Warning:** Depending on how you look at it, some Sasuke OOC-ness. But if you think about it, this is non-massacre so he wouldn't be so apathetic, anyway.

This is written for my 50 shinobi LJ challenge, and also as a Christmas gift!fic for all of you ItaSaku fans out there!

Disclaimed.  
read&review.

* * *

"Baka." His word bounced off the walls of the kitchen; the messes of pots and pans, the splashes of batter, and the black lumps that were _supposed_ to be cookies. The kitchen looked as though a tornado had just run through it.

Sakura fumed, her cheeks turning a light shade of red. "You don't have to eat those," she muttered haughtily. "I'll toss them out."

"If you are aware of the fact that you are unable to bake, then I suggest you not do it." Itachi took a cloth, and began to wipe away the batter on the counter and the cupboards.

"I just wanted to make—" She stopped short when Sasuke, topless with only a towel around his neck and his hair damp, walked into the room. She and the older Uchiha stared at him. He glanced around the ruined kitchen, made his way carefully to the fridge, fetched a water bottle, and walked out without a single word.

It was quiet for a moment, before Sakura burst out again, "I just wanted to make you something to eat because Sasuke-kun said you've been pushing yourself too much lately! He said you were becoming malnourished!"

"I do not like baked goods," Itachi said absently, calmly placing the pots and pans into the sink and turning on the tap. "Why on earth would you need these to bake cookies?"

Her hands made their way into tight fists. "I-I didn't know what to use! And I wanted to make it a surprise, too!"

"If you have learned from your past mistakes, you would have noticed that your surprises always end in disaster."

Sakura was very close to tears. Even now, she could not understand why she was dating his man. "Itachi…" Her voice trailed off, and when he turned his head from the sink, she felt his crimson Sharingan on her. "I…I hate you!" she sputtered out, turning and racing from the room. Embarrassment was welling up in her stomach, and her vision was blurring from the tears. She passed by living room where Sasuke was sitting, and she saw him glancing at her for a moment wordlessly. She hastily made her way to the front door.

She didn't even bother to put on her coat. It was gathered in her arms, and she shivered as the snow landed lightly on her bare hands.

What a wonderful position to be in, she thought bitterly. Outside the Uchiha complex, angry at Itachi because he had called her stupid. _Again._

**x**

"Sasuke-kun, your brother's a jerk," Sakura told the Uchiha one day after a sparring session as they made their way towards Ichiraku. Naruto yawned lazily as he stretched his arms out.

"You say that every other week." The impassive response made her blush slightly, though it wasn't noticeable in the cold, where her cheeks were already tinted pink.

"But that's because it's true!" she insisted, jutting her chin out indignantly. "If _you're_ able to be nice, why can't he? Can't you make some sort of impression on him?"

The obsidian eyes of the Uchiha made her swallow hard. "If you find me nice, is Naruto your heaven sent?" The blonde perked up at his name, and a grin spread across his face as his breath whooshed out from his lips in a small billow.

"Of course I'm Sakura-chan's heaven sent! What did you expect, Sasuke? That it was _you_?" Sakura closed her eyes for a moment before stopping in her tracks and raising her arm, palm slightly charged with chakra. Naruto walked right into it and fell to the ground with a thump and a groan. "Sakura-chan…"

She turned her head away haughtily and made her way into Ichiraku, glad to find some sort of warmth. Sasuke followed shortly. "I wanted to get Itachi a hat for Christmas. What do you think?"

"My brother does not wear hats."

Sakura's bottom lip stuck out into a pout—a bad habit that she'd had for many years. "Exactly! So I thought he'd look good wearing one! A toque, you know? A red one." A smile spread across her lips as Naruto stalked into the bar, sitting beside her with snowflakes in his bright hair.

"That was mean, Sakura-chan!"

She ignored him.

A deep chuckle resonated from Sasuke's throat. "Contrary to popular belief, he might actually like that." The three shinobi ordered their ramen—Naruto's extra large. He had better be paying for himself, Sakura noted.

She frowned. "But he's mad at me right now." Neither of her teammates responded. "Sasuke, do you know how to calm him down?"

"You've managed to do that without my help every other time." As she stared at the younger Uchiha, she couldn't help but marvel at how he resembled his older brother. Save for the long hair and the lines of exhaustion under the eyes, they might be identical. Sometimes, she mistook Sasuke for Itachi, with his air of authority and cold edge to his tone. (But, of course, she loved the older one because of his subtle caring. Just because Sasuke was kind, doesn't mean he'll ever consider her romantically.)

She frowned. "But this is the first time I've turned your kitchen upside down. I'm sure he's furious."

"Why are you dating a bastard like him, anyway?" Naruto asked, his brow furrowing. Their orders arrived, and he split a pair of chopsticks. "Itadakimasu. I mean, he doesn't even show you he cares. If _I_ went out with you, I'd—"

"Be just like Rock Lee," Sasuke finished for him, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk as he began to eat his own meal. "I think Sakura appreciates my brother more than she does that self-proclaimed 'symbol of youth'." Even now, Sakura couldn't believe how childish her two teammates were bickering over such trivial matters.

But once she thought about it, she supposed she wasn't much better. She smiled lightly at herself.

Perhaps Sasuke was right, she decided. Maybe this matter would fix itself on its own.

**x**

After their lunch, Sakura shoved Naruto away and told him to go home, insisting he needed some rest. When he finally shot her and Sasuke a suspicious look before grumbling and making his way through the crowd, she felt somewhat of a satisfaction to be alone with the younger brother, whom she had been so infatuated over so many years before.

Sasuke followed Sakura around town idly, a frown etched upon his lips. But she smiled as she lightly tugged on his arm into various stores, knowing that if he truly didn't want to spend time with her, he'd just say so and leave before she could even comprehend it.

"What about this one?" she asked thoughtfully, picking up a forest green toque and fitting it onto the younger Uchiha's head. Sasuke's brow furrowed considerably. "Stop frowning like that; you're going to get wrinkles at the age of twenty!" She turned him around by the shoulders and led him to the mirror near the back of the store. "What do you think?"

Sasuke's hard gaze reflected back at her. "I think this looks absolutely ridiculous on me. Why did you choose green?"

She laughed. "Because I thought it'd represent Christmas, you know? The Sharingan and the toque. Do you think this would fit Itachi?"

"It doesn't take much imagination to pretend I'm my older brother, Sakura. Just look at me and decide." The dark eyes closed for a moment as her teammate sighed. "I don't want to decide for you."

She turned him around again, placing a finger to her chin. "Maybe a different color. How about I get you one too, Sasuke-kun? You looked nice in that navy one." She brought him back to the front of the store, where the various colored toques were displayed.

The Uchiha chuckled. "Onii-san would be ticked off if I got the same gift as him." She couldn't help but giggle as well at the thought. Although brothers, they were still competitive—even in matters other than shinobi ones. She couldn't imagine the look on Itachi's face when he realized that she got both him and his brother the exact same thing for Christmas. She glanced out the store's front window, admiring the falling snow and the many villagers who were Christmas shopping.

Just then, she thought she saw a flash of red and white. The Uchiha crest? Sharingan? She turned to Sasuke quickly, the words in her mouth meshing together. "Just wait here a moment, Sasuke-kun. I'll be right back!" And she raced out the door into the brittle cold.

She weaved through the crowd with the fluidness and grace of a shinobi, and caught sight of a familiar black ponytail. "Itachi! Itachi!" A smile burst onto her face as she thought about Christmas shopping with him. Perhaps Sasuke could wait just a little while longer. If he wanted to, he could go home; she'd take him shopping another time. "Itachi!" She was attracting glances, she knew; but she was always like that anyway. The snowflakes were biting at her cheeks, the wind numbing her nose—and all she could think about was spending time with the older Uchiha.

Said Uchiha turned his head, just slightly in the crowd. She knew he noticed her—he _had_ to notice her—after all, their eyes locked and she could clearly notice the Sharingan of his that was constantly turned on. It _was_ him. And he _saw_ her.

"Itachi, where are you headed—?" But to her utter horror, his gaze left her and he continued to walk, as if he hadn't seen her at all.

Sakura was dumbstruck.

She stood there, numb for a moment, as the villagers made their way around her, giving her odd glances. Why had he ignored her? Was he still angry? She swallowed the lump in her throat, suddenly afraid of what would happen if he wouldn't forgive her in time for Christmas.

She didn't even stay to clean up the kitchen. She just stalked out of the house.

Itachi was right. She _was_ stupid.

Sasuke was still there when she gloomily made her way back to the store. The green toque was off his head and back on its rack, and he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, eyes wandering around the store.

"Sorry about that," she told him, her voice's enthusiasm dropping considerably. "I saw Itachi and I wanted to say hi to him—but he just ignored me."

Her teammate shrugged. "He probably had some business to attend to."

She could feel the tears brimming at her eyes. "But he's never ignored me before! He's probably still mad at me because I made such a mess out of your kitchen yesterday!" She swallowed the lump her throat. Sasuke's shoulder had never looked so inviting before.

"Sakura." Sasuke took her by the shoulders, and held her at arm's length. "You're over-thinking things. You always do. I know for a fact that my brother would not date you unless he cared about you. He's a very committed person—I can guarantee you that. He probably had a reason for ignoring you back there, and it's not because he's angry. If he was, he wouldn't waste any time to tell you so. It's _you_ who's never straightforward. You always confuse him with all those feelings of yours."

Sakura couldn't recall the last time he'd said so much in one go. "How…How am I confusing? He knows I care about him!"

"He didn't know that when you told him you hated him yesterday." Sasuke's hands felt so comforting on her shoulders; they were the anchors keeping her from floating away in her own sea of anxiety. "He's afraid he did something wrong. But he never shows it." He paused, and she sniffled slightly. "When you left, he ate your cookies. Every single last one of them."

She stared at him for a moment. "All of them…? But they were lumps of burnt dough!"

"He didn't share with me, even when I went out of my way to say please." The smirk was back, and his hands dropped from her shoulders. "He cares, Sakura. Now, how about you get him that toque? You said the red one would look good on him, right?" He took one from the rack and eased it into her hands, guiding her to the cashier. She felt more comforted when she paid for the hat, even if the small flame of worry was still lit somewhere within her.

"And just so you know," Sasuke said softly, his voice teasing and lips at her ear as he stood behind her in line, "if you were a little more straightforward with your feelings back then, I might've gone out with you."

She almost strangled him.

**x**

"Of all people, you shouldn't be the one to be late," Sasuke reprimanded as Sakura smiled sheepishly at him, holding a bag full of Christmas gifts.

It was actually a surprise to all of their friends when Sasuke offered his large house to hold a Christmas party. Sakura had no idea where his parents were, but everyone else seemed to be here. Even Jiraiya was having a cup of punch (since no alcohol was allowed due to the presence of minors).

A week without talking to Itachi had Sakura on her toes. She still wasn't quite sure if he was angry at her or not—or if he thought it was the other way around—but she wanted to set things right. Especially since it was Christmas. Spending Christmas alone was the most depressing thing that could happen to a girl with a boyfriend—Ino didn't fail to remind her of that.

"Sorry," she said, gesturing to the large bag in her hands. "I had a lot of stuff to bring, and I kept on finding out that I had forgotten something." Sasuke allowed her into the house, and she smiled at the people who greeted her.

"We'll exchange gifts later," Sasuke told her. "Just put your things down in the living room in back; we're using that place as a closet for tonight."

She made her way through the familiar hallways, nodding and exchanging a few words with some people. Naruto was already livening it up with a little lame karaoke. She wondered who brought it here—because the Uchihas certainly didn't own it.

After dropping her bag and shrugging off her coat, Sakura joined the life of the party, hoping to find Itachi somewhere. She missed him; having not seen him for so long must had been a record for her.

"Hey, Forehead!" She turned her head to the familiar voice of her best friend. "Did you just arrive? You look like a popsicle." Without allowing her to even opening her mouth, the blonde continued. "Did you patch things up with Uchiha-san yet? If you don't, you're going to miss out on a Christmas snog." Sakura rolled her eyes when she winked.

"You shouldn't be talking, Ino-pig. Have you talked to Shikamaru yet?" She grinned when she knew she hit a soft spot. Ino's cheeks tinted pink.

"He brought that bitch Temari here, anyway," she mumbled. "I think I'll have a go at Sasuke tonight." Another wink. "They have some snacks over there I haven't tried yet, so I'll hang out with Hinata for a while. She's still a little too stiff." She leaned over, and Sakura followed suit so her ear met her friend's lips. "You go and find Uchiha-san and fix things up, before it's too late." And she disappeared.

Somehow, when she was presented the chance, Sakura didn't want to go find Itachi. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered madly, and she decided to go to the kitchen to get herself some water. Punch didn't suit her taste as of right now.

The music from the karaoke dulled as she entered the empty room. It was sparkling clean; whoever scrubbed away her cookie mess sure did a good job of it. She swallowed, before heading to the fridge and helping herself to a bottle of water. She heaved herself onto the counter, and thought.

She swore, her eyes only closed for a moment. But when she opened them again, he was there.

"I-Itachi!" she squeaked in surprise. "I thought you'd be taking refuge in your room…"

"Parties do not suit me." There was a cold edge to the Uchiha's voice, and Sakura shivered. That was it. He was still angry. Sasuke lied to her. He probably tossed out all of those cookies with no hesitation. "But I was told that the kitchen would be safe to enter. Why are you not with the others?"

Indeed, she was stupid.

"I just wanted to get away for a while," she mumbled, taking a swig at her water and almost choking on it in the process. "It gets pretty warm in there."

"I see." She heard the fridge open, and she glanced over to find Itachi bent over and searching through its contents. When he stood up, there was a frown etched onto his lips. "The onigiri is gone."

She stared at him, somewhat flabbergasted. Here she was, afraid that he was angry at him for making a mess out of the kitchen and forcing him to eat inedible lumps of burnt dough, and here he was, complaining about the lack of…onigiri. "The onigiri?"

His brow furrowed. "The onigiri is gone," he repeated, as if hoping that it would appear at his indirect request.

Sakura opened her mouth and paused, unsure if she should say it. She did, anyway—because that was just how she was. "I-I could make you some, if you like." She placed her water bottle on the counter beside her, and hopped onto the ground. "I promise, I make it better than cookies. I've done it before, and even Naruto said it was good."

She felt Itachi's hard gaze on her for a long moment. Her heartbeat was increasing, and she was praying, hoping so hard he'd give her a chance to redeem herself.

"Very well," he finally said. "I would like some onigiri, please."

Immediately, she raced to the different cupboards and pulled out the different ingredients she'd need. She knew the Uchiha house as well as she knew her own; she'd been over so many times to visit Sasuke—and even more when she started dating Itachi—that this could almost be her second home. Plates and small bowls were placed on the table, as well as rice and nori. "What kind would you like?"

The Uchiha thought for a moment. "Tsukudani. It is in the top right cupboard."

She diligently brought down the ingredients. Never in the months she had been going out with this man did she realize that he actually had a certain preference for food. She had only just realized he had a _distaste_ for it last week. Apparently, he does not like baked goods. He could've at least mentioned that little fact _before_ she attempted those disastrous cookies.

Sakura was so desperate to prove to him that she could be a good girlfriend; that she could satisfy him. Sasuke had told her once that it would be her downfall.

And downfall, it was. She didn't even know _what_ she tripped over, but she felt herself falling forwards, and her hands reached out to grab hold of the table. A heart-wrenching crash was heard when one of the plates shattered on the floor from the impact.

She didn't move.

"I…" She raised herself to her feet, cheeks flaming. "I'll clean that up. And I'll buy a new plate. I promise." Angling her head so her bangs effectively curtained her ashamed face, she grabbed the broom from beside the door and began hastily sweeping up the mess. "I promise…" She stopped when she felt a large, warm hand take her wrist in a gentle, but firm grip.

"Sakura." Her name on his lips was music to her ears. She couldn't help but look up at him. The Sharingan was breathtaking; there was nothing she wanted to do more than just let him sweep her away in a wonderful genjutsu, and never let her go—

"Sakura, Uchiha-san!" Ino stumbled in, red in the face, breaking the moment. Sakura's gaze snapped towards the kunoichi. "Come on, don't act all lovebird-like right now; they're having an arm wrestling competition! It wouldn't be complete without you two!" She sighed haughtily when neither of them moved. "Come _on_!" She grabbed the both of them by their arms and dragged them into the main living room. Sakura didn't realize she had dropped the broom until she nearly tripped over it. She blushed madly, and she could feel Itachi tense beside her.

If he wasn't angry before, he certainly was now. For a moment, she thought he heard him mutter in an irritated manner, "Incompetent childish game…"

"You should go back to your room," she told him quietly. "I'll, um…I'll visit you afterwards." _And buy that new plate,_ she added mentally.

"No," Itachi said lightly as Ino made a path through the small crowd to the table in the center, where Hinata and Naruto were about to begin. "I will…watch." Sakura smiled lightly when Hinata's face flushed and she fell face first onto the table, clearly passing out. Naruto holding her hand was apparently too much for her. Fond memories the earlier days entered her mind, from before Itachi even took notice of her.

A round of laughter went about, and Kiba and Shino appeared from the crowd, lifting their teammate onto either of their shoulders. "Told ya she'd faint!" Kiba shouted in a merry tone. "C'mon, Shino, let's put her on the couch…"

There were a few moments of laughter before Sasuke took the young Hyuuga's place at the table, hand out and ready for the arm wrestling.

The infamous Uchiha smirk came into play, and light shivers were sent down Sakura's spine. "Guess who's going to win, dobe?" Naruto clasped his hand with his teammate's, a grin on his face. The boys' knuckles whitened when their grips tightened.

"Obviously me."

Sakura didn't pay much attention to the fight. She was too busy paying attention to Itachi's presence beside her; it was just so _distracting_. She'd never been with him in a situation like this before; it was always just the two of them, alone, because he preferred it that way. She knew it was physically impossible for him to tell how hard her heart was beating from this distance, but somehow, she thought he knew.

Apparently, Sasuke won. She didn't really see. She could feel the back of the older brother's hand grazing hers, but just barely; her breath was caught in her throat, just because he had a knack of doing that. All thoughts and worries of the shattered plate on the kitchen floor disappeared from her mind.

"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto's voice of irritation was familiar to her ears. Itachi's fingers twitched ever so slightly at the sudden outburst—but she was sure that his face never let it on. "Just so you know, I _let_ you win!"

Her other teammate rolled his eyes. "If it makes you feel better by thinking that—"

"I bet you couldn't win against your brother!"

The crowd's chatter muted down to silent mumbles, before it diminished all together. Sakura could feel the eyes on Itachi—and she flushed slightly, wondering if they were looking at her, too.

"I do not participate in these childish games," the older Uchiha finally said. She could detect the stiffness in his voice—but she was sure no one else other than Sasuke caught it. "But I am sure Sakura would be able to win."

A deep chuckle came from Sasuke. "Are you backing down, Onii-san?"

There was a long silence. Sakura held her breath. Sasuke was _challenging_ him. Itachi never declined a challenge. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She could see the wheels in his mind turning; calculating and balancing the chances of winning, the benefits and the risks. She shook her head slightly; it was _just_ an arm wrestling match.

"I accept your challenge, then, Otouto." It was now the older brother's turn to smirk. "How foolish you are." His presence disappeared from her side, along with the subtle skim of his hand against hers—she felt empty for a small moment, but that was forgotten when tension soon filled the room as the two Uchihas sat across each other at the table. The two eyes competed; crimson and obsidian, older and younger. It felt like the entire room was holding its breath.

"Anyone wanna place bets?" Kiba's boisterous voice broke through the tense atmosphere, and Sakura almost laughed in relief.

She raised her hand. "I bet on Itachi! Five hundred yen!"

It was then that the bets began. Kiba collected the money exuberantly, and Sasuke and Itachi's hands locked together. Sakura prayed to God Itachi would win; everyone within the vicinity knew she was going out with the man, and it would be a rather big embarrassment if she bet on him and he didn't win.

She didn't think he'd lose, though. After all, he became an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen.

"You're stupid, Forehead," Ino laughed as her hand patted Sasuke's shoulder. "Sasuke will win, right?" And although neither of them said anything, everyone could practically feel the competition burning between the two boys.

They were way too serious about this, she thought.

And then it began. Their knuckles whitened, and the muscles in the brothers' arms tightened as a silent battle commenced. It was amusing, Sakura thought, because neither of them moved. In fact, neither of them moved for a long time.

All was quiet. Sasuke's forehead was dotted with very slight perspiration, and she couldn't help but admire how calm and collected Itachi was. Surely, he'd win. He won _everything_.

There was a sudden disturbance in the crowd. "You must win, Sasuke-san! Show them the power and beauty of youth!" Without a doubt, Rock Lee was somewhere nearby. He literally bulldozed a path until he made it to the front, absolutely determined to root for the younger brother. "And then I will defeat you and prove myself worthy of Sakura-san!"

Something in Itachi clicked. Sakura watched in slight surprise when his brow furrowed slightly in concentration, and Sasuke's eyebrows rose in faint surprise. If possible, their arm muscles strained more, and Lee led the chanting of "Go, go, go!"

"Onii-san," Sasuke said softly, only loud enough for the few who were actually listening to hear. "Do you know what Sakura wears to bed?" The question was completely irrelevant, and her cheeks darkened by many shades, wondering how in _hell_ Sasuke knew about those frog pajama bottoms.

Itachi didn't seem fazed. "Enlighten me."

The younger Uchiha leaned forward slightly, the smirk playing at his lips. Their arms were shaking now from the exertion, and yet, they were still standing upright as they were before they began. Slowly, Sasuke's lips shaped the word, and her eyes widened in horror. "_Nothing._"

The back of a hand slammed against the table. It was an absolute shock to see whose it was.

Sakura didn't realize her body was tense until it relaxed with a rush of adrenaline. "Oh. _Oh. _Sasuke-kun, that was _dirty_. I don't wear nothing to bed!" She blushed harder as she attempted to hide her cheeks. Lee seemed to be having quite the time, imagining her preparing to sleep.

"Would you rather I had said you wore _me_ to bed?" he asked, an eyebrow cocking with mock confusion.

She fumed, unable to find anything to retaliate with.

Itachi stared at the table, where clearly, his hand was forced down. "Otouto," he said very softly, very lightly—a voice that only she and Sasuke could catch. "Would you mind making me some _onigiri_?"

Sasuke chuckled sofly, and she was glad he was the one the man was angry at. "What kind?"

"Tsukudani. And please clean up the mess on the floor and buy a new plate tomorrow at the market. With your pocket money." The younger man's hand released Itachi's, and Sasuke stood up, straightening his shirt. The smirk was still on his lips—at this rate, it'd be permanent, Sakura thought—and crossed his arms.

"Fine." His eyes locked with hers, and she smiled lightly in congratulations, and thanks. If it wasn't for her, she was sure he would've come up with some snide remark to that.

Ino's arms slithered around Sasuke's waist from behind. "I told you Sasuke would win, Big Forehead! Pay up!" She frowned when the blonde stuck out her tongue. "_Baaaka._"

Grumbling slightly in embarrassment, she fished out the five hundred yen that she didn't give to Kiba from her pocket and tossed it over to the other kunoichi. "Screw you. Itachi would've won if Sasuke-kun didn't play dirty."

"There's no such thing as playing dirty in arm wrestling." Sasuke's ego swelled to ten times its normal size, and Sakura had the slight urge to gag. "It just goes to show that my brother enjoys the thought of you nude."

She swore to herself that she was going to strangle him someday.

Her temper cooled down, though, when she felt a comforting hand at the small of her back. "Why don't we go?" the suave voice whispered in her ear. "I have a Christmas gift for you." Two of his slender fingers hooked with hers for a moment before letting go, almost testing her to see if she would have enough willpower to stay.

Naturally, she didn't. "Just one moment. I want to get your present, too." She darted to the living room in the back of the house with the agility that only a shinobi could possess, fetching the red toque that was wrapped carefully in vermillion wrapping paper, with tiny snowflake patterns on it. A little flame of doubt grew in her again when she was reminded of the day she bought the toque. The image of Itachi turning away from her within the crowd of people was just too clear. A faint frown made its way to her lips.

Itachi was waiting outside for her. His arms hung loosely at his sides, and she wondered how he could look so wonderful when he wasn't even trying. Without a word, he turned on his heels and turned a corner in the hall that was the supposedly off limits. Sakura carefully stepped under the ribbon taped to either wall that indicated so.

They followed the familiar way to his room. Sakura was nervous; it was rare that she felt this way around the man, but since the last time they talked was an argument that hadn't even been resolved yet, she wasn't sure what to do. Would she make him angry again? It seemed Sasuke did a good job of starting him up.

"You're very tense," he commented when she stood awkwardly in the middle of his room. He seated himself on his bed with red and black patterns. He patted the spot next to him, and she hesitantly sat beside him. "Do you feel uncomfortable?"

"No," she responded hesitantly. _Just afraid,_ she said her herself. "I'm fine."

There was a short pause, and her heart was pounding so hard she thought the people down at the party a couple rooms away were able to hear. "Sasuke…talked to me," Itachi said slowly. "He told me that under no circumstance would you turn your back on me."

Sakura found it slightly humorous that her teammate was playing matchmaker here, when he was usually the one being hooked up with someone else. "What made you think I would turn my back on you?"

She could feel the discomfort radiating from the Uchiha. Even she had to admit, he was somewhat socially retarded. "You clearly said you hated me one week ago."

Her jaw dropped. Sasuke was _right_. She _did_ confuse him.

Somehow, she found that amazing.

"No!" she said immediately, taking the wrapped toque and pushing it into his hands. "I-I thought you were mad at me…because I made a mess out of the kitchen for no reason…and Sasuke-kun said you ate all of the cookies…and they were disgusting…" Her voice diminished as she continued, and a blush tinged her cheeks when she found her fingernails unbearably interesting. "I bought this for you. I saw you the day I got it—but you ignored me, so I thought…"

"I had some…business to attend to." She couldn't help but note that was exactly what Sasuke had said. "I was purchasing your Christmas gift that day as well. And it would have been…inconvenient if you started a ruckus in public." It took her a moment to understand that he thought she'd be angry at him and yell at him in public, and in turn, damage his social standing. That was _so_ like him.

She shrugged lightly. "Well…I wouldn't. Just know that, okay? When I say I hate you, I don't really mean it. I mean, I _mean_ it—but not in the long run." She blinked when the man stared at her expressionlessly. She shook her head. "Just open the present!"

Sakura didn't think she'd seen anyone unwrap a gift so slowly in her life. Itachi cautiously peeled off the tape, taking care to not rip the wrapping paper. When he finally found the toque amidst the red paper, he stared at her. "You got me…a toque."

She couldn't help but grin. "Yes! Here, let me put it on for you." She took it from his hands and fit it on his head, and giggled when she found how well it matched his eyes. She fixed it so the very top would be loose, and she took him by the shoulders and steered him to his full-length mirror. "What do you think?"

"I think I look absolutely ridiculous," he deadpanned. "Why did you get me a toque?"

"Because it's cold, and your ears are going to freeze off during your missions! And you look good in it, so don't worry about it."

"I do not wear hats."

Her bottom lip jutted out; a pout. "But I spent so much time picking it out. Even Sasuke-kun got tired of me."

"Sasuke always tires of you."

She frowned. "No, he doesn't! He's nicer than you are, anyway." She crossed her arms, and turned around so her back faced him. She knew it was childish, but that was just something she could be with Itachi without feeling completely embarrassed.

A strong pair of arms made its way around her waist, holding her in a grip that was feather-light, and her lips curved into an involuntary smile. "Does Sasuke do these types of things to you?" he breathed softly into her ear, his lips just grazing it and sending shivers down her spine.

"No," she whispered, leaning back into his chest and sighing softly in content.

"Good. I would have to force him to make more onigiri if he did." She giggled at this, and Itachi presented her with a small package of his own, his arms still around her. She felt his chin rest lightly on her shoulder. "Merry Christmas to you, Sakura."

She took the gift, and unwrapped it carefully, just like Itachi did with hers. Perhaps she could reuse the wrapping paper next year, for old memories' sake.

"This…" She couldn't find words. She held the simple silver band in her hand, with a small cherry blossom charm on it. "How did you know I wanted this…?" She could only marvel at it for a moment before he eased the bracelet out of her hands and clicked it onto her wrist.

"I did not become an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen for no reason." His voice felt like heaven to her ears as she admired the band on her wrist, the cold metal pressing against her warm skin. "I am not stupid enough to not notice you eyeing this for weeks on end."

"Oh…" Her voice trailed off. "I…Thank you…" The faint yells and cheers from the party seemed worlds away, and she felt Itachi's grip tighten on her a little. "I didn't think you'd go so far as to actually get something like this for me, though…"

A light chuckle met her ear. "And I did not expect you to give me a toque."

She turned around in his arms so she could face him. His Sharingan was something she couldn't disregard, and she stared at it in slight wonder. "We should've known from the start that we'd have some communication problems. I mean, look at you, and look at me. You see the vast differences?"

"A sly weasel and a brainless cherry blossom. A very vast difference."

"Cherry blossoms were always brainless," she giggled as she nuzzled his nose. "Didn't you know that?"

She smiled when he pressed his lips to her forehead. "Baka."

**

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**A/N: **To be perfectly honest, I think Itachi should've won after what Sasuke said to him. He'd be like, "ROAR YOU DID NOT JUST IMAGINE MY GIRLFRIEND NEKKID." But the story wouldn't have progressed the way I wanted it to if I made it otherwise. D:

And, okay, I know, Itachi getting her a bracelet was _completely_ cliché. But I couldn't think of anything else that she might like.

It took me quite a while to write this, because it was so long. I particularly like Sasuke's teasing attitude here, if you ask me. He's way too angsty or apathetic in other fics, or just in the manga and anime. So much that it hurts. I wanted to give him a little zest, y'know?

By the way, my memory stick, like, broke, so all of my other works in progress are pretty much gone. Zip. Obliterated. Includes my works of every fandom. So, um, yeah. My heart is broken. Don't expect anything from me anytime soon.

But anyway. I hoped you liked it. Reviews and constructed criticism is appreciated. Merry Christmas, everyone!


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